In 1964, the Public Relations Society of America created the profession’s first voluntary credential: The Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). PRSA administered the APR program until 1998, when it joined forces with eight other organizations to form the Universal Accreditation Board, which administers, grants and promotes the APR program. Who pursues Accreditation? Professionals from the agency, corporate, nonprofit and government arenas have accepted the challenge, including many of the industry’s foremost professionals. Here are some reasons why leading practitioners are proud to add “APR” after their name.
“A lot of reasons exist for earning the APR, and all of them are great! For me, that APR was a credential necessary for advancement in PRSA volunteer leadership, and service was a catalyst. Earning APR in 1991 ultimately led me to the unique privilege to serve as PRSA National’s president and chairman, Board of Directors, in 1999. While my corporate employer did not express any great interest in the APR credential, I used it as a personal goal in my professional development discussions. The ROI (return on investment) then — and now in my own practice since 1993 — exceeds anything I ever could have anticipated. Earning the APR, and following that with Fellow PRSA in 1995, were two of the best professional and career decisions I ever made, and they are cornerstones of my commitment and passion for lifelong professional development.”
— Samuel L. Waltz, Jr., APR,
Sam Waltz & Associates LLC Counsel,
Wilmington, Delaware
“For me, becoming Accredited was a personal decision as I weighed various professional development opportunities. In the end, the process gave me the opportunity to hit the books again and ensure my work was smart, strategic, and added value. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without having had the opportunity to get Accredited.”
— David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA,
President and Founder,
The Grossman Group,
Chicago, Illinois
“I joined PRSA after more than 25 years as a public relations professional in the U.S. Air Force. As I prepared to shed the uniform and move into the second phase of my career, I saw clear value in PRSA membership, and especially in earning my Accreditation. I not only wanted the APR to say something about me, I wanted what I did to say something about the APR — to ensure it stood for professionalism, commitment and quality to those with whom I worked. Earning the APR title requires study, hard work and a broad understanding of the fundamentals of our profession.”
— Ray Crockett, APR, Fellow PRSA,
Director of Communications,
Coca-Cola North America,
Atlanta, Georgia
Kathy Mulvihill, manager, Accreditation, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
For information on APR events and programs, check out “APR Boot Camp,” “Getting “Ready” for the APR Readiness Review: Increase Your Chances of Advancing and APR Online Study Course. For more information APR, click Accreditation in APR on the PRSA website.
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